Interview with Artist POLO

Based in Hong Kong since 2003, Paul-Alexandre Michel Albert Bourieau, a.k.a. POLO, creates monumental and iconic works of art collaborating with architects and landscapers for influential corporate clients and private collectors all over the world. Born in 1968 in Nantes, France, POLO studied Art at the Accademie of Nantes before joining the legendary French stone masons guild, the "Compagnons du Tour de France". He began exploring the duality between sculpture and architecture while working on projects such as the Musee du Louvres, the American Center in Paris and Notre Dame du Haut of Le Corbusier and honed his skills in sculpture in the Italian historical ‘stone city’ of Pietrasanta,

FULL INTERVIEW COMING SOON

Interview with Artist POLO

Based in Hong Kong since 2003, Paul-Alexandre Michel Albert Bourieau, a.k.a. POLO, creates monumental and iconic works of art collaborating with architects and landscapers for influential corporate clients and private collectors all over the world. Born in 1968 in Nantes, France, POLO studied Art at the Accademie of Nantes before joining the legendary French stone masons guild, the "Compagnons du Tour de France". He began exploring the duality between sculpture and architecture while working on projects such as the Musee du Louvres, the American Center in Paris and Notre Dame du Haut of Le Corbusier and honed his skills in sculpture in the Italian historical ‘stone city’ of Pietrasanta.

Highlights of the Asian Oscars

Macau welcomed the cream of the Asian film industry to its House of Dancing Water Theatre on 27th March, 2014, where it played host to the eighth annual Asian Film Awards (AFA). Since 2007 the AFA have been organized and held in Hong Kong, and this year's move to Macau marked a thrust towards the more international. For the first time, the awards were organized in collaboration between the AFA Academy (AFAA), the Busan and Tokyo International Film Festivals, and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. The so-called “Asian Oscars” are unique in gathering the continent's most talented film professionals to one place and are held to encourage cultural exchange and collaboration in the film industry, to push filmmaking in the region to greater heights, and to celebrate the achievements of filmmakers and stars in the last year.

Highlights of the Asian Oscars

Macau welcomed the cream of the Asian film industry to its House of Dancing Water Theatre on 27th March, 2014, where it played host to the eighth annual Asian Film Awards (AFA). Since 2007 the AFA have been organized and held in Hong Kong, and this year's move to Macau marked a thrust towards the more international. For the first time, the awards were organized in collaboration between the AFA Academy (AFAA), the Busan and Tokyo International Film Festivals, and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. The so-called “Asian Oscars” are unique in gathering the continent's most talented film professionals to one place and are held to encourage cultural exchange and collaboration in the film industry, to push filmmaking in the region to greater heights, and to celebrate the achievements of filmmakers and stars in the last year.

Of the 26 films featured in the awards this year, Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster stole the show. The martial arts movie trounced opponents in the showdown to win the most awards, landing prizes including: Best Film, Best Director, Best Production Designer, Best Costume Designer, Best Cinematographer, and Best Composer. Zhang Ziyi picked up the Best Actress award for her performance as “Gong Er”, bringing The Grandmaster's total awards to seven.

The Best Actor award went to Irrfan Khan for his leading role in Ritesh Batra's Indian romance The Lunchbox, beating nominees including Tony Leung (“Ip Man”, The Grandmaster) and Lee Kang Sheng (“Hsiao-kang”, Stray Dogs). Khan told the audience: “I am honoured and delighted that I have been nominated with such great actors: actors which I've watched and which I'm in love with.” The Lunchbox also picked up the award for Best Screenwriter (Ritesh Batra) making it second to The Grandmaster for number of awards received.

Other films to receive awards included the Singaporean Ilo Ilo, and the joint South Korean-Chinese Mr. Go. Jiang Shuying was named Best Newcomer for her performance as Ruan Guan in the Chinese So Young, fighting off competition from rising star nominees from Hong Kong's The Way We Dance, South Korea's The Attorney, and Japan's The Backwater and Like Father, Like Son.

From newcomers to an old master, the Lifetime Achievement award went to Taiwanese cinema giant Hou Hsiao-Hsien. Hou's talent as a director has earned him prestigious international prizes from bodies such as the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Hawaii International Film Festival. Renowned director, producer, actor, and singer, the multi-talented Hou nevertheless accepted his award – complete with standing ovation - with a self-deprecating joke: “I'm receiving this award because I am an old man.” Film lovers across Asia and beyond will be happy to learn Hou declared himself motivated to make more films.

Although their focus lies in Asian film-making, the Awards keep one eye eagerly on the international scene. This year the AFAA named French actress Isabelle Huppert its first honorary member. Continuing the continental theme, French fashion designer agnès b presented the awards for Best Costume Designer (William Chang Suk Ping, The Grandmaster) and Best Production Designer (William Chang Suk Ping, Alfred Yau Wai Ming, The Grandmaster).

On top of the awards, the audience was treated to performances from acts as varied as Chinese singer Bibi Zhou, Vivi the microphone-grabbing giraffe, and the theatre's own water show and dance troupe. But there was cause for solemnity too as stars paid tribute to those who had been aboard the MH370, the missing Malaysian flight. Both Zhang Ziyi and Wong Kar Wai spoke of a martial arts director who had been aboard; The Grandmaster's director dedicating his speech to him.

With nominees and participants drawn from across an entire continent - 13 separate countries - this year's AFA set the scene for what must surely be a truly international future, and film-lovers of the world can expect even greater things from Asian cinema as a result.

List of winners:

Lifetime Achievement: Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Best Film: The Grandmaster

Best Director: Wong Kar-wai, The Grandmaster

Best Actor: Irrfan Khan, The Lunchbox

Best Actress: Zhang Ziyi, The Grandmaster

Best Newcomer: Jiang Shuying, So Young

Best Supporting Actor: Huang Bo, No Man’s Land

Best supporting actress: Yeo Yann Yann, Ilo Ilo

Best Screenwriter: Ritesh Batra, The Lunchbox

Best Cinematographer: Philippe Le Sourd, The Grandmaster

Best Production Designer: William Chang Suk Ping, Alfred Yau Wai Ming, The Grandmaster

IN 1970 I was hired to photograph a young piano player from England who was going to open a show at the New York City’s Fillmore East theatre for Leon Russell. His name was Elton John. I remember thinking how hard it is to get an interesting picture of someone playing piano. It’s a very large instrument and the player is usually just sitting behind it. But Elton John is not the usual piano player. He is one of the most exciting performers I’ve worked with. He doesn’t just sit at his piano. He jumps around it and on top of it. Sometimes he leaps straight into the air with only his hands on the keyboard. And he’s still playing! He also wears onstage the most flamboyant and colorful costumes and outrageous glasses.

I enjoyed working with Elton for the next several years. At the Fillmore in the spring of 1971 I got a nice and arty double-frame photo of him with his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Then I photographed him twice at Carnegie Hall, and later at Madison Square Garden. At Carnegie Hall, his mother made a surprise backstage visit.

On Tour with Bob GruenElton John Retrospective

IN 1970 I was hired to photograph a young piano player from England who was going to open a show at the New York City’s Fillmore East theatre for Leon Russell. His name was Elton John. I remember thinking how hard it is to get an interesting picture of someone playing piano. It’s a very large instrument and the player is usually just sitting behind it. But Elton John is not the usual piano player. He is one of the most exciting performers I’ve worked with. He doesn’t just sit at his piano. He jumps around it and on top of it. Sometimes he leaps straight into the air with only his hands on the keyboard. And he’s still playing! He also wears onstage the most flamboyant and colorful costumes and outrageous glasses.

I enjoyed working with Elton for the next several years. At the Fillmore in the spring of 1971 I got a nice and arty double-frame photo of him with his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Then I photographed him twice at Carnegie Hall, and later at Madison Square Garden. At Carnegie Hall, his mother made a surprise backstage visit.

By 1973, Elton was touring on a private 727 jet plane. It sported a large lounge, a long shiny brass bar with a built in piano, and two bedrooms! On a flight to Boston, Stevie Wonder was hidden in a bedroom when Elton took his seat and the plane took off. A publicist then told Elton to come to the middle of the plane to meet a piano player the airline had hired to entertain him. At first Elton didn’t want to be bothered. But he finally agreed. And as he came toward the lounge Stevie Wonder started playing “Crocodile Rock,” and this made Elton very happy.

In 1974 I went to the Record Plant studio to visit John Lennon’s recording session for his“Walls & Bridges” album. It was a good day to be there because Elton John was there as well, playing and singing on Lennon’s song “Whatever Gets You thru The Night.” When they finished recording, Elton asked John if he would appear with him at his upcoming Madison Square Garden show. John tried to put him off by telling Elton that he would only do it if the song reached number one on the pop charts. Well the song did become a number one best seller, and John Lennon came out onstage to join Elton at the Garden and the crowd went wild.

The complete article is available in Issue #272. Click here to order from Amazon

I first photographed Alice Cooper in 1971 when he played at the legendary Fillmore East in New York City. It was one of the most theatrical shows I have ever seen. Alice goes a lot further than just standing and singing into a microphone; he acts out each song with simple but effective props. During the show he was strapped in a straightjacket, tries to break out, and ends the show in an electric chair. In later shows the electric chair was replaced by Alice getting hanged by the neck from a gallows. Later came a guillotine, which remains part of his act today. Alice has said that his show is about being the bad guy punished for his evil deeds, like a real life horror movie with a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack.

By 1973 I was working more with Alice, who up to that point had several top 10 hits and was becoming a well-known act. The band had rented a mansion in Connecticut and I photographed them there. One of my favorite pictures is Alice looking very comfortable wearing a jacket with stuffed white rats running up the front and on the sleeves. On another occasion Alice came to my studio with the great radio DJ Wolfman Jack to make a Christmas picture with Alice as Santa Claus and Wolfman Jack sitting on his lap like a little kid.

The complete article is available in Issue #273. Click here to order from Amazon

On Tour with Bob GruenAlice Cooper Retrospective

I first photographed Alice Cooper in 1971 when he played at the legendary Fillmore East in New York City. It was one of the most theatrical shows I have ever seen. Alice goes a lot further than just standing and singing into a microphone; he acts out each song with simple but effective props. During the show he was strapped in a straightjacket, tries to break out, and ends the show in an electric chair. In later shows the electric chair was replaced by Alice getting hanged by the neck from a gallows. Later came a guillotine, which remains part of his act today. Alice has said that his show is about being the bad guy punished for his evil deeds, like a real life horror movie with a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack.

By 1973 I was working more with Alice, who up to that point had several top 10 hits and was becoming a well-known act. The band had rented a mansion in Connecticut and I photographed them there. One of my favorite pictures is Alice looking very comfortable wearing a jacket with stuffed white rats running up the front and on the sleeves. On another occasion Alice came to my studio with the great radio DJ Wolfman Jack to make a Christmas picture with Alice as Santa Claus and Wolfman Jack sitting on his lap like a little kid.

The complete article is available in Issue #273. Click here to order from Amazon